Newsletter : March 2012
Written by Steph Kendall
Welcome to the New Zealand Tourism Guide www.tourism.net.nz March 2012 issue. If you have news or comments, please email us news@tourism.net.nz.
In this March newsletter:
Tourism New Zealand Targets Youth Market
Tourism New Zealand is running a series of webinar sessions for the tourism industry over the coming weeks to update businesses on marketing activity in the Japan, Europe and Australia markets. On 20th March, Tourism New Zealand provided an update to industry on how they're targeting the youth market in Europe. View more information by following the links below:
- For more information on the final webinar on 3 April
- For more information on Tourism New Zealand's markets
- Check out TNZ's youth strategy, activity and resources
See also our article on QR Code Marketing for NZ Tourism which targets the youth orientated 'mobile generation'.
New Zealand From Above
From October 2012, around 4 million TV viewers in Germany and France will be able to see a five-part documentary series showcasing New Zealand's spectacular landscapes. It also features true blue Kiwis talking about their relationship with the land, where they live and work what they do. Each 43-minute episode will include scenic flights and aerial footage.
Tourism New Zealand's Catherine Bates says, "This is an opportunity for us to increase preference for travel to New Zealand in Germany and Europe. The programme will showcase New Zealand activities that really appeal to our target audience – visiting national parks, taking scenic drives and flights, seeing the wildlife and of course, interacting with the locals. The objective of this work is to motivate people who already have a preference for travel to New Zealand, to book their trip now..."
View the full news article on 'New Zealand From Above'.
QR Code Marketing for NZ Tourism
Written by Steph Kendall
QR Codes may be new marketing tools for many New Zealand businesses, but in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, China, the UK and Europe, these codes are already being widely used especially by the 'mobile generation' – smart phone users. The codes when scanned can lead people directly to a specific website or web page.
What Are QR Codes?
QR Codes (Quick Reference Codes) were first used in the car industry – invented by the Toyota subsidiary Denso Wave in 1994 to track vehicles during manufacture. A QR Code, like the one shown above, is a 2 dimensional matrix code (barcode). They are commonly used on advertising materials and packaging because 'barcode readers' can be used by anyone with access to a smart phone. The QR code has become the focus of many advertising and marketing strategies, as it provides such quick and effortless access to a company's website or web page.
Most popular smartphones sold in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, China and Europe now come with a QR Code reader already installed However, almost all other smart phones will support the technology required to install a QR Code reader. (There are plenty of free QR apps available including Apple's QR Scanner and Google's QR Droid).
The What, Where and How of QR Codes
The process is beautifully simple – the smart phone user scans the QR Code with his phone camera, sees the results, open or saves the results (i.e. views the web page). As QR codes can be published in a wide array of sizes,a QR code can be published on almost any advert, signage or marketing collateral that advertises your business including:
- Logos, billboards, vehicle signage, printed advertisements
- Brochures, newsletters, fliers and leaflets
- T-shirts and clothing, menus, postcards and business cards
By creating QR codes for specific pages of your website, you can send viewers to the page most appropriate to them – an offer, guarantee, information, product or contact page or simply the home page of your website. You can also use them to direct staff to specific pages of your website to refer to company information.
Create Your Free QR Code
Whether you think QR Codes are fantastic or faddy, the fact is that people in key markets for New Zealand tourism businesses are using them now. It's definitely worth taking a look at your marketing materials to see if they are for you. However, you may need to develop your QR Code marketing hand-in-hand with a more 'mobile-friendly' website. There may be little point in directing the 'mobile generation' to a web page they cannot view on their phone.
- There are free QR Code generators online including www.qurify.com/en/
- For more information about QR codes, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QR_code
QR codes are used by smart phone users who will be viewing web pages or websites on a mobile device. Next month, you can read more about 'mobile-friendly' websites.
NZTG on your Mobile Phone
You can now browse the New Zealand Tourism Guide directory as you travel the country using m.tourism.net.nz. If you want to get an update on which businesses are listed on the site, take a look. It's also a great example of what 'mobile friendly web pages' look like.
How It Works
m.tourism.net.nz will work on any web enabled device, and you are not required to download or install an application. Simply enter "nztg.mobi" into any web enabled mobile phone or mobile device and you will instantly have the ability to view our content relating to tourism and travel businesses.
For more information, visit m.tourism.net.nz
Top Tourism Site of the Month
This month's Top Tourism Site Award goes to Iconic Motorhomes
This is a beautifully presented website using some great design and many search engine optimisation features including:
- Flags denoting dual languages (English and German languages)
- Clear navigation
- Enticing and professional looking images
- Good visual information including 360 degree views, layouts and icons displaying motor home facilities
- Lots of optimised text including a wide array of keyword phrases (e.g. campervan hire in new zealand)
Nominate a Site
If you think a New Zealand travel or tourism website deserves a 'Top Tourism Site Award', let us know about it. (View further information about the award criteria.)
About the Top Tourism Site Award
The New Zealand Tourism Guide confers a Top Tourism Site Award to websites that:
- Enhance New Zealand as a travel destination
- Publish useful and informative content
- Are laid out in a professional and aesthetically-pleasing manner
- Are designed effectively for the World Wide Web
- May demonstrate easy functionality, interactivity, originality, outstanding graphic quality and marketing reach.
We welcome any feedback — send your comments to: news@tourism.net.nz
Kind regards,
The Team
Ph 0800 14 65 49
www.tourism.net.nz
New Zealand Tourism Guide
Head Office: Level One, 534 Colombo Street, Christchurch